


Four Sick Masons and the Volm Who Love Them

by sartiebodyshots



Category: Falling Skies
Genre: Gen, M/M, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-01
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-04 10:27:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5330786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sartiebodyshots/pseuds/sartiebodyshots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben gets the flu, and from there the human members of the Mason family slowly succumb to sickness, leaving three semi-clueless Volm to take care of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ben's Morning Sickness

The flu starts with Ben, which really shouldn’t surprise him.  He’s been protected from illness for years- just another benefit of being a super freak.  It’s probably weakened his actual, human immune system, which, unfortunately, he hadn’t considered until it was too late.

He aggressively ignores the first signs of the flu- the dry cough could be caused by anything.

“I am concerned for you,” Frederick says one night after Ben wakes himself up coughing.  “I believe you are sick.”

“I’m fine,” Ben says, voice tight from coughing.  “The coughing is probably just from all the dust down in the archives.  They’re doing excavating and I’m cataloguing what they find.  Dirty work.”

Frederick looks unconvinced and reaches up to touch his face.  “Your skin feels different than normal.  I know that is not good.”

“Just tired is all,” Ben says, yawning.  “Don’t worry.”

Frederick makes a discontented noise, and Ben knows that he’s asking the impossible, considering half of Frederick’s personality is worry, sometimes. 

So Ben turns to kiss the palm still anxiously stroking his face before falling back asleep. 

The next morning, he feels like hell.  It feels even worse than when he first got his spikes out. 

When he tries to say good morning to Frederick, his voice just comes out as a pathetic squeak.

Moving quickly, Frederick pulls himself up so he’s level to Ben’s face.

“You are sick,” Frederick says seriously.  “You must remain in bed.”

His whole body aches, but he slides out of bed anyway. 

“Return to bed,” Frederick says, getting up to steady him.

“I just wanna take a…” Ben’s interrupted by his stomach making an unpleasant gurgling noise.  “Toilet!”

Without asking any questions, Frederick scoops him up easily and rushes him to the bathroom.  Dating a Volm, who are immensely strong, certainly has its advantages. 

Frederick sets him down gently in front of the toilet and Ben falls immediately to his knees.  He pushes the seat up so he can easily barf into the toilet. 

“You are sick!” Frederick says with clear panic in his voice.  “I have read about this… you are vomiting and it is morning.  You have morning sickness!”  There’s a pause, the room silent except for Ben’s retching.  “This means that I have impregnated you.”

Ben wishes he could stop throwing up for a minute to explain that he’s not pregnant, but even though there’s not much left in his stomach, he can’t stop retching. 

Frederick rubs shaky hands over Ben’s back.  “Do not worry.  I know that we have not known each other for an acceptable length of time by human standards, but I am still… excited about the prospect of creating a new life with you.  I love you, Ben.”

Ben stills momentarily because Frederick has never said, well, any of that before, but then the need to vomit takes over again.  It’s like his body is making up for all the years he didn’t get sick at all.

“I do not know much about parenting, but I do know enough about you to know that you will wish for us to raise our offspring ourselves and not send them to the nestships.  I will do my best to be a good parent to our offspring, but I hope you will help me,” Frederick says contemplatively, hands sliding around so they’re supporting Ben’s weight, keeping him from diving head first into the toilet bowl.  “I am confident that you will be an exemplary parent and aid our offspring in the unique challenges I am certain they will face.”

After what feels like an eternity, Ben stops vomiting and he rests his cheek against the cool porcelain.  He wants to talk to Frederick but it hurts to breathe and his whole body feels like lead.  All he feels capable of is resting right as he is.

“The only thing I wish to be firm about is that I do not want our offspring to learn to fight.  To learn violence.  I know that is the Volm way- and perhaps you would wish for them to learn self defense as well- but I do not want violence for our offspring,” Frederick says.  “We will keep them safe ourselves.”

Ben has had some pretty strange experiences, but having his face pressed against the rim of the toilet while his alien boyfriend talks parenting philosophies even though they’re not actually having any kids at the moment has to make the top ten list.  He shifts to try to face Frederick, but only succeeds in falling against him, causing Frederick to gently lower him into his lap. 

Frederick is looking down at him tenderly, _lovingly_ , and even though he feels like garbage, Ben is also happy to be here, with Frederick and he’s pretty sure that he could stay here all day. 

Except that Frederick’s tone has shifted from scared to excited, and Ben doesn’t want to crush his dreams too much, so he points to the sink shakily.  His throat is too raw for him to speak without some water to soothe it first. 

Frederick manages to lift him with one arm and stand up.  He walks them both to the sink, filling up the cup before carefully helping Ben take a few sips. 

“Can’t get pregnant.  Not morning sick.  Flu,” Ben manages to croak.  “Bad.”

Frederick’s brow furrows and he frowns.  “We are not having offspring.”

“Sorry,” Ben says, shaking his head. 

“That is probably for the best,” Frederick says softly.

Ben really wants to say something comforting, but he has no idea what to say and his whole body feels so heavy.  “Bed, please.”

Frederick carries him back to bed, setting him down gently and tucking him in.  “I am sorry that you have become ill.  I do not know how to tend to a sick human, but I will inform your family, so I may receive instructions.”

When Frederick tries to get up, Ben grabs at him weakly.  He doesn’t want to be alone right now.  “Stay.”

“For a little bit,” Frederick relents.  “But I will have to leave to obtain assistance.”

Ben nods a little, closing his eyes and relaxing as Frederick wraps himself around Ben.  Usually Frederick is curled against his side, or else he’s the little spoon, but this is nice, too.  Sometimes it’s nice to feel comforted and protected. 

“I do love you, and I have felt this way for some time,” Frederick murmurs softly.  “I am sorry I was unable to say so before now.”

Ben squeezes the hand around his waist to let Frederick knows it’s okay.  He knows it’s hard for the Volm to vocalize their feelings sometimes- it’s not part of their culture, at all.  So he was more than willing to say it without Frederick saying it back for however long it took. 

He had been hoping that when Frederick finally said it, it didn’t involve his face in a toilet bowl, but as long as it’s Frederick, it’s okay.


	2. Diagnosis

“It’s definitely the flu,” Doctor Glass says, pressing her hand against Ben’s cheek.  “But I don’t know why it’s so severe.  He’s young and healthy, so it should just be standard flu.”

Matt tries to get a little closer to Ben, but Hal is holding him back.  He glares up at his oldest brother, but Hal isn’t looking at him. 

The one quick glimpse of Ben he got was scary: he looked all pale and shaky.  His eyes were closed, but his lips were moving. 

“I know you just said that you don’t know why it’s so severe, but do you have a guess?” Dad asks, looking down at Ben.  “Anything at all?”

“I can only assume it has to do with the Espheni spikes.  We have no idea what kind of long term effects exposure to them had,” Doctor Glass says.  “But it could also be some kind of super bug.”

“If a powerful insect is inside Ben, then we should remove it,” Frederick says.  “Then he will be well again.”

“An illness, not a literal insect,” Cochise says. 

Frederick nods a little and looks back down at Ben.

“The best thing to do for him for now is to keep him hydrated when he’s awake.  If he can stomach it, give him something bland to eat.  And…” Doctor Glass looks around at them all nervously.  “You guys should try to spend as little time in here as possible.  Ideally, no time.”

“What?”  “No!”  “Excuse me?”  Matt’s not sure who says what, but there’s a lot of unhappy exclaiming.

“Maybe it’s remnant effects from the spikes, but maybe it’s some kind of new super bug.  We have no idea how our local bacteria and viruses interacted with Espheni material over the last few years,” Doctor Glass says. 

“I killed it all,” Dad says, rubbing his face.  “There are no more Espheni left- their biotech either.”

“That is not entirely accurate,” Cochise chimes in.  “The spikes remained, for example.”

Doctor Glass nods.  “And Espheni biotech could have influenced Earth microbes even if you eliminated it.  The fact of the matter is, we don’t know and we don’t have the tools to figure it out yet.  So I have to recommend that you limit your contact with Ben until he’s better.”

“We have to take care of him!” Matt says.  “He can’t be alone!”

“I will take care of him,” Frederick says.  “Volm are immune to illnesses and Espheni biotech.  There is no risk to me.”

“What about your duties?” Shaq asks. 

“They are not as important as Ben,” Frederick says, looking up at Cochise.  “Many of them are ceremonial in nature.  I am going because I am the ambassador, but I believe that the humans would be honored by your presence.”

Cochise inclines his head.  “I will do what I can to aid you.”

“Thank you,” Frederick says.

“I’m not leaving Ben!” Matt protests. 

“I don’t want to do it either, but Ben wouldn’t want us to get sick, especially if it’s a super bug,” Dad says, crouching down to Matt’s level.  “Ben is strong and Frederick will take good care of him.”

“C’mon, buddy,” Hal says, pulling on him gently as Dad stands back up and turns back towards Ben.  “We can’t help Ben.”

Matt reluctantly lets himself be pulled along, but he makes sure to point firmly at Frederick.  “If you don’t take good care of him, you’re gonna regret it!”

Frederick approaches him and kneels.  “I promise you.  There is nothing more important to me than ensuring Ben makes a full recovery.”

“Well stop talking to me and get back to taking care of Ben!” Matt practically yells. 

“It’s time for us to leave,” Hal says, pulling on Matt more insistently.

Matt storms out of the room without talking to anyone else and slams his way up to his bedroom.  He hates this!  There’s no one to fight, nothing he can do except leave Ben alone.  It’s dumb and stupid and he hates it.

* * *

 

Hal feels kind of dumb when he knocks at Matt’s door.  “Hey, buddy.  It’s Hal.”

“What do you want?” Matt asks.

He looks down at the scrappy assortment of craft supplies he’s managed to find.  It’s just some paper, a green crayon, and a blue marker.  “Just let me in, please.”

Matt opens the door.  “What?”

“I thought maybe we could make Ben get well soon cards.  Since we can’t sit with him,” Hal says.

Matt doesn’t look impressed.  “He’s not even awake.”

“For when he wakes up.  C’mon, he’ll love them,” Hal says.

Matt stares at him, but doesn’t say much, even as he takes the crayon and a piece of paper from him.  Honestly, Hal is always more terrified by submissive Matt than a Matt that’s screaming at him.  It’s clear he doesn’t want to make a card for Ben, but he’s still coloring away.

“Ben is going to be okay,” Hal says, not looking up from his own card.  “He’ll wake up and make fun of the terrible card I made him.”

“You don’t know that,” Matt says eventually.  “He could be dying.”

“Not Ben,” Hal says with more certainty than he feels.  “He’s tough for a nerd.”

Matt just scribbles harder. 

“I’ve gotta pee,” Matt says, getting up. 

Hal nods.  When Matt is gone, Hal sneaks a peek at the card he was working on.

It’s just a picture of their family, everyone frowning, and ‘get wel son’ above them.  Honestly, Hal isn’t sure if Matt can’t spell or just didn’t feel like it.

Either way, it’s definitely not the most uplifting card Hal has ever seen.

* * *

 

In the middle of their dumb coloring, Matt sees Frederick walk by.  That means that he’s not watching Ben like he’s supposed to be.

“I’ve gotta pee,” Matt says, getting up. 

Before Hal can say anything, Matt is already out the door and down the hall.  He opens the door to Ben’s room and slips in, closing the door silently behind him.

Matt creeps towards Ben’s bed, suddenly kind of regretting this.  The room is so dark he can’t see much and all he can hear is ragged breathing that doesn’t sound right. 

“Ben?” Matt whispers.

There’s not even kind of a reply. 

Matt climbs onto the bed so he can see Ben.  He’s not sure what he’s expecting, but Ben’s just laying there.  His face is too pale.

Then he remembers what’s so weird about hearing Ben’s ragged breathing.  When they shared a room in Charleston, Ben hardly made any noise.  Honestly, it was kind of scary, but at least Matt knew that was normal (even if he did sometimes get up to make sure that Ben was still breathing).  So Ben breathing _loudly_ is even scarier than anyone else breathing loudly. 

But Matt doesn’t want Ben to feel alone, so he snuggles close to Ben, even if he feels weirdly warm. 

“It’s okay, Ben,” Matt says quietly.  “ _I_ won’t leave you alone.”


	3. Masons are Persistent

Tom sees that Frederick is in the living room talking to Cochise, so he takes the opportunity to head towards Ben’s room.  He’s not going to stay in there, of course, but he wants to at least check on him and give his hand a squeeze. 

He understands that Anne has to advise them to be cautious, but Ben is his _son_ and he has to care for him at least in this small way. 

Tom opens the door and is surprised when he sees a little blob curled next to Ben.  Then again, maybe he shouldn’t be.  Matt is persistent and loves his brothers more than anything. 

“…be okay.  But I know that things have been really hard.  It sucks,” Matt’s murmuring softly to Ben, and Tom hates to interrupt him, but Matt could be getting himself sick.

“Matt, you’re not supposed to be in here,” Tom says, stepping forward.  “Volm only.”

Matt sits up.  “ _You’re_ not supposed to be in here either.”

Well, his son has him there. 

“I was just peeking in,” Tom lies.  

“Uh-huh,” Matt says, glaring at him.

“Come on, let’s go,” Tom says, coming towards the bed and holding a hand out. 

“Frederick left him all alone!  He’s supposed to be taking care of Ben, but he left him alone.  He’s shit!” Matt says.

“Language, Matt,” Tom says tiredly.  “And you know that Frederick cares about Ben.  All he’s doing is filling Cochise in on his schedule and getting more water for when Ben wakes up.  Then he’ll be back.”

“He still should’nt’ve left him alone,” Matt says in a quiet voice. 

“Ben is asleep.  He’ll be okay.  Come on,” Tom says, coming to the bed and pulling Matt out of it.

He can’t help but look at Ben’s face; it reminds him of when those soldiers pulled his spike out.  But even then, at least he was awake and talking. 

Matt reluctantly slides out of bed and follows Tom out of the room. 

“There you are!” Hal comes practically sprinting down the hall.  “I was starting to worry that you’d fallen in the toilet.”

“I found him in Ben’s room,” Tom explains.

“You were in there, too!  Or else you couldn’t’ve found me!” Matt exclaims.

Hal raises his eyebrows at Tom, but Tom just shrugs a little. 

“C’mon, we should finish our get well soon cards,” Hal says.

“Get well soon cards?” Tom asks, tilting his head.

Hal shrugs.  “If we can’t sit with him, at least we can make something to help.”

“That’s really good of both of you.  I’m sure Ben will appreciate it when he wakes up,” Tom says, smiling at them. 

Matt looks listlessly away.  “Whatever.”

“Ben is going to wake up, Matt,” Hal says quietly.

Matt shrugs.  “I’ll go work on the card.”

“Is it bad that I’m almost more worried about Matt than Ben?” Hal asks as Matt walks away, shoulders slumped.  “Whenever he gets all zombie-like, it’s scary.”

“No, I’m worried about them both, too,” Tom says.  “How’re you doing?” 

“Don’t worry about me, Dad.  I’m fine,” Hal says. 

Tom sighs and squeezes his shoulder because of course he’s going to worry about Hal and of course Hal is going to brush himself off.  “Don’t forget to take care of yourself, too.”

Hal just laughs him off and gives him a quick hug before following Matt back down the hall. 

Tom watches him go, worry clenching in his chest. 

Once he’s out of sight, however, Tom sneaks back to Ben’s room.  There were too many times towards the end of the war when Tom wasn’t there for Ben, and Tom regrets how he acted every day.  He’s not going to abandon Ben now. 

“You’ll be okay,” Tom whispers, leaning down to kiss his too warm, flushed forehead.  “You have to keep fighting.  I know you have to be tired of fighting, but please, Ben.”

He slips his hand into Ben’s and sits beside him.

* * *

 

Frederick has finished telling Cochise all of what he will require to fulfil Frederick’s duties for the next week- days, times, places.  And, of course, there are the diplomatic objectives the greater Volm have given him… and the ways that Frederick has managed to shape them into something more diplomatic. 

Cochise looks down at the datapad in which he has stored all of his information.  “I had not anticipated needing to know so much to serve in your role.”

“Perhaps it is a kind of reparation.  You placed me in this role without my consent, and it is much more than you had informed me of,” Frederick says.

Cochise’s eyes widen and Frederick is embarrassed by his forwardness. 

“I am sorry.  I am concerned and I wish to return to Ben,” Frederick says.  “I appreciate the honor you bestowed on me.”

Moving slowly, Cochise rests his hand on Frederick’s arm, and Frederick looks up at him, wide eyed.  Friendly physical contact between Volm is highly unusual, to put it gently. 

“I am glad that my human offspring has you to aid in his recovery,” Cochise says.  “You are a great asset to him.”

“Thank you,” Frederick says.  “Now, I will return to him.”

Cochise inclines his head and withdraws his arm.  “If you require assistance, just ask.”

Frederick fills a large glass with water and then proceeds to Ben’s bedroom.  He had not enjoyed leaving his boyfriend for so long, even if it was necessary.  Cochise is doing him a great service by offering to take on his duties.  Otherwise, Frederick would not be able to tend to Ben without fearing a breakdown in diplomatic relations.  However, as the humans know and respect Cochise, Frederick is confident that Cochise will be able to handle his duties, temporarily. 

When Frederick opens the door to Ben’s bedroom, he is surprised to see Tom sitting on the bed. 

“You must leave,” Frederick says.  “You cannot be exposed to this sickness.”

“I know… but I had to be here for him,” Tom says. 

“You must leave,” Frederick repeats, setting the glass of water down on the bedtable. 

Tom stands up and slowly walks past him.  “Thank you for looking out for him.”

“I love Ben and wish to aid in his recovery,” Frederick explains. 

Tom makes a noise that Frederick cannot decipher as he leaves.

Once they are alone, Frederick lays next to Ben, pleased when Ben scoots a little closer to him in his unconsciousness. 

Carefully, Frederick starts to slow his metabolism.  It makes him feel a little sluggish and weak, but it is worth it.  From what he understands, Ben’s body is creating too much heat, which is causing some of Ben’s discomfort and illness.  By lowering his metabolism, Frederick is limiting the amount of heat his own body gives off.

“I will take care of you.  All you have to do is rest,” Frederick murmurs.

As he lays beside Ben, he keeps careful track of the rate of Ben’s breathing.  At least it remains steady, even if it is much louder than usual. 

A few hours later, Ben starts making unhappy noises and Frederick sits up.  He strokes Ben’s cheek gently.

“Water...” Ben eventually croaks, opening his eyes briefly before shutting them again. 

Frederick sits Ben up and puts the glass up to Ben’s lips gladly.  He had been worried that Ben would become dehydrated. 

Ben sips greedily, Adam’s apple bobbing as he drinks.  When he’s done, he lays limp against Frederick again.

Frederick sets the glass on the table and strokes Ben’s still hot cheek.  “If you believe you can eat, I can prepare toast for you.”

Somehow, Ben’s face becomes even paler.  “No.  Tired.”

“Okay,” Frederick says, laying Ben down again and cradling his head in his lap.  “You may rest.  I will be here to watch over you.”

Ben shakes his head a little bit.  “You have stuff to do.”

“Chichauk is taking care of my duties.  My only concern is you.  The doctor does not know if your condition is so severe because your immune system was weakened by the spikes or if you are infected with a microbe enhanced by the Espheni somehow,” Frederick says.

“That’s a lot of words,” Ben says, opening his eyes; they’re glassy and unfocused.

“I will take care of you, and you will regain your health.  That is all that is important,” Frederick says. 

“Thanks,” Ben says.  “Love you.  Don’t get sick.”

“Volm do not get sick,” Frederick assures him.  “I love you.”

“So tired,” Ben says.

“Rest,” Frederick instructs.

Ben smiles the smallest amount imaginable as his eyes close again.

Frederick lays his head down carefully and stretches out beside Ben.  He found even that short exchange with Ben comforting. 

* * *

 

When Matt wakes up the next morning and still feels tired.  Whatever. 

He gets up and walks down the hall, hoping to sneak in to see Ben, but Hal and Shaq are both walking down the hallway.  Dammit. 

“Matt?” Hal asks, taking a step towards him.  “Are you okay?”

The hallway lengthens and Hal and Shaq seem so far away that Matt doesn’t think they could hear him even if he answered.

Know what’s close, though?  The ground.  And it’s rushing up to Matt’s face real fast.


	4. Hal's Short Legs vs Shaq's Long Arms

“Matt!” Hal yells, rushing forward. 

Or, trying to.  Shaq is holding him back, lifting him off of the ground with embarrassing ease.

“What the hell, Shaq?” Hal demands, looking around his boyfriend to Matt’s small, shaking body.

“He may be sick,” Shaq says with maddening calmness.  “You should not expose yourself.” 

“So what?  You just wanna leave him there?” Hal asks, doing his best to kick Shaq, but Shaq’s stupid arms are too long.

“I will ascertain if he is sick with what Ben has.  Remain here,” Shaq instructs.

Hal nods reluctantly and Shaq slowly lowers him to the ground.

It's painful to stay back and watch as Shaq approaches his littlest brother.  Shaq turns him on his back and sets a giant hand against Matt’s comparatively tiny cheek. 

“Come on!” Hal urges after what feels like forever.  “Does he have the fever?”

“I wish to be sure I am being accurate,” Shaq says.  “Volm do not have medical training.”

Hal groans and kicks the wall.  “I could just come check.  Real quick.”

“If you force me to pin you down, it will delay my assessment of your brother’s condition.  You cannot overpower me, and you will be further placing your brother in danger,” Shaq says, glaring up at him.

Maybe Hal is projecting, but he’d swear he sees a little fear in Shaq’s eyes. 

“Okay.  Shutting up,” Hal says.

Shaq grunts and returns to checking on Matt while Hal aggressively doesn’t say anything, even if he wants to ask a million questions and give advice.  He can’t distract Shaq again. 

After an excruciatingly long time, Shaq looks up and nods solemnly.  “I believe he is sick with the same illness as Ben is.”

Hal’s heartrate increases as he starts striding towards them.  “Okay, so-“

Before he can reply, Shaq has gotten up and shoved him against the wall.  “You will make yourself breakfast and continue with your day.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Hal says, struggling against the hands pinning him to the wall.  “I can’t just leave him here on the ground.”

“I can take him to his room,” Shaq says.

“And then someone has to take care of him!” Hal says.  “We can’t just leave him alone; Cochise won’t be back until way later and Frederick is too terrified to actually take care of him- plus he’s busy with Ben.  So, stop being a Volm moron and let me go take care of my brother!”

“No,” Shaq says firmly. 

“I swear, you’re never getting laid again unless you let me go right now!” Hal says, trying to kick Shaq again.  His legs haven’t gotten any longer. 

“You are being idiotic, as you often are,” Shaq says.  “Stop attempting to kick me- you are too short for this to be an effective strategy.” 

“Shut up and let me go!” Hal says.

“No.  I will ensure the health of your youngest brother.  You will eat to maintain your strength and do whatever foolish human things you do,” Shaq says. 

“What?” Hal says, pretty sure that he misheard Shaq.  “You’re gonna take care of Matt?”

“You already stated that neither Chichauk nor Famak are capable of aiding Matt at this time.  Nor can you or your father.  There is only one logical course of action.  I will ensure Matt consumes fluids when he awakens,” Shaq says.  “The alternative is we remain in this position until Chichauk returns and Matt remains on the ground.”

Hal sags as his knees give out.  He loves Shaq, would trust him with his life- would trust him with any of his family’s lives if someone was shooting at them-, but he’s not sure about trusting him with Matt’s life under these circumstances.  It’s not like Shaq is a natural caretaker. 

But it doesn’t look like he has any choice.

“Listen, if you don’t know what to do or if something majorly changes with Matt, you have to get me.  I don’t care if I might get sick,” Hal says firmly. 

“I will,” Shaq says, releasing him.

Hal lands in a pile on the floor, watching as Shaq scoops Matt up and retreats into Matt’s bedroom. 

* * *

 

Shaq lifts the smallest human in the house up very carefully.  It barely feels as if he is carrying anything.  He does not look at Hal as he carries Matt back to his room. 

He lays Matt down gently on the bed.  It is unusual to see this human so still and quiet.  While Shaq does not like or respect any human, Matt’s possesses a warrior spirit, which makes him less irksome than many humans, and so it would be make this planet even more unpleasant if Matt failed to recover. 

In addition, if Matt fails to recover under his watch, it is unlikely that Hal would be willing to engage in sexual intercourse with him.

“I have been told that it is important to speak with humans when they are in this state,” Shaq says.  “Although, I do not understand why, as you are unconscious and most likely incapable of understanding anything I say.”   

Unsurprisingly, Matt does not respond because he is unconscious. 

Shaq realizes that he does not have any water to hydrate Matt with, so he turns to leave.  When he opens the door, he hears a familiar grunt of surprise and the sound of a body hitting the ground. 

He is unimpressed when he looks down to see Hal’s body sprawled out in front of him.

“It is impossible that you have prepared and consumed an adequate breakfast,” Shaq says. 

“You’re supposed to be taking care of Matt,” Hal says, with what Shaq thinks is supposed to be aggression.  It is very difficult to feel menaced by a human, especially one as short as Hal, especially when he is sprawled inelegantly on the ground. 

“I do not have water.  From what Doctor Glass said when she was examining Ben, it is important to prevent dehydration,” Shaq says.  “Matt is stable enough to be left alone for a couple minutes.”

He leans down and scoops Hal up easily, carrying him to the kitchen over his protests.  Truly, humans are the most idiotic species that Shaq has ever met and Hal holds the honor of being the most idiotic human that Shaq has encountered. 

Shaq drops Hal on the floor of the kitchen, turning to fill a glass of water.  When he turns back around to face Hal, he has righted himself and is glaring at him angrily.

“What the hell?” Hal yells.  “You can’t just drag me around.”

“You must remember to feed and maintain yourself.  You cannot help your brother, and all you are accomplishing is distracting me,” Shaq says.  “Stop being idiotic and overemotional.”

Hal sighs and droops.  “Fine.”

Shaq grunts and returns to Matt’s room, uncertain if he is relieved to find Matt still unconscious or not. 

At least he has decided what to discuss with the unconscious human.  Matt has often expressed an interest in the battles that Shaq fought in before he came to Earth.  As Shaq has been in many such battles, it will be several weeks before he will need to find something else to say. 

Shaq settles in for a long, pointless day of talking to an unconscious human, trying not to consider _why_ he is even doing this.

* * *

 

After Shaq leaves him in the kitchen, Hal grabs an apple and walks back towards where their rooms are.  This time, not to eavesdrop on what’s happening with Matt and Shaq, but to find Dad.

Hal knocks on Dad’s door, biting into the crisp apple. 

“Morning, Hal,” Dad says when he opens the door.  There are bags under his eyes and it’s clear he didn’t sleep well.

“Morning,” Hal says.  “Uh, just so you know, Matt’s sick now, too.  He collapsed this morning.”

That brings Dad to attention.  “What?  Where is he now?  Is he stable?”

“He’s in his room… with Shaq,” Hal says.  “From what I saw, he didn’t seem as bad as Ben, but I’m not a doctor or anything.”

Dad blinks.  “Like, the former NBA superstar has come to our house and is now tending to Matt?”

“No, Dad,” Hal says.  Although that might make more sense.  “The big giant Volm I’ve been dating for a few years is taking care of Matt.”

“No offense, but I don’t know if he’s capable of that,” Dad says. 

“I think he is,” Hal says quietly. 

Honestly, he doesn’t like the idea of _anyone_ else watching over Matt without him helping, but if he tries to ignore that for a few seconds, he does think that Shaq can handle it. 

“The Volm aren’t raised to be caring, Hal.  I mean, Cochise and Frederick are two very caring Volm, but they’re different and Shaq makes fun of them for it,” Tom says.

“That’s just what he says, though,” Hal says, thinking.  “I know he can be caring- I know he cares, no matter what he says.  Shaq can be more tender than anyone else I know.  Also he said he’d come get me if he didn’t know what to do or if anything changed.”

He doesn’t mention that Shaq knows damn well that if anything ever happened to either of his brothers while he was watching them, Shaq would never be able to get in his pants again.  So that’s some kind of assurance. 

“I just feel like I should be doing _something_ to help them.  At least when you guys were little, your mom and I could sit with you when you were sick.  Read Ben stories, or drive your Matchbox cars up your arm to make you laugh.  Fling them off the bed to make Matt laugh,” Dad says wistfully. 

“That was nice,” Hal says, smiling a little.  “C’mon, lets get some breakfast and then we can make them cards.  At least it’s something.”

Dad wraps an arm around his shoulders, pulling him comfortingly close as they walk back down the hall together. 


	5. Which of Tom's Sons' Alien Boyfriends Doesn't Like Him?  The Answer May Surprise You

It’s kind of surreal, sitting in the kitchen with Hal, drawing on scrappy pieces of paper.  Tom’s done it more times than he can count, but back then, Hal had been a little kid and now, he’s a grown man.  The change is startling, to say the least.

“I’m going to go check on them,” Tom eventually says.

“Shaq might decide to pin you against the wall,” Hal says, looking up at him.  “Just as warning.”

Oh great. 

“Thanks,” Tom says, shaking his head.  On the one hand, he’s glad that Shaq makes Hal so happy, but on the other hand, he’s also so blunt and rude.  He doesn’t understand, honestly. 

So Tom decides to check on Ben first, because it’s not likely that Frederick will pin him against any walls. 

“Frederick,” Tom says softly, knocking on the door and easing it open.  “I want to check on Ben.  How are you guys doing?”

“You should not be in here,” Frederick’s voice is muffled.

“I’m not in the room!  I’m just opening the door a little so I don’t have to yell,” Tom protests.  “Please, tell me how Ben is.”

There’s rustling from the other side of the door before it opens and Frederick steps into the hall with him.  Maybe it’s a trick of the light, but he looks a little grey. 

“He has only awakened for a few minutes at a time, and each time he is eager to drink water,” Frederick says.  “I would like to return to him now.”

Tom blinks, pretty sure he’s sensing hostility from Frederick, which is unexpected.  Frederick is not the one who is hostile.  Quite to the contrary, Frederick is unfailingly polite- and when they first met Frederick was straight up reverent since Tom destroyed the Espheni. 

“You should know that Matt is sick too, now.  Shaq is taking care of him,” Tom says.  “Ben would want to know.”

“I know that Ben would want to know,” Frederick says sullenly. 

“Are you alright?” Tom asks.

“Of course I am fine,” Frederick snaps, definitely hostile now.  “I am not the one who is sick.”

Tom clears his throat uncomfortably.  “Then, uh, just thanks for updating me, I guess.”

Frederick grunts and turns away.  “I will return to Ben now.”

“That was weird,” Tom murmurs to himself as the door shuts behind Frederick. 

Now onto the Volm who might slam him against the wall for some reason.  Goodie. 

Inhaling deeply, Tom knocks on the door to Matt’s room and eases the door open.  Before he can say anything, the door has slammed shut in his face.

“Hal, I already told you-“

“Shaq, it’s Tom.  I just want to know how Matt is,” Tom says. 

The door opens and Shaq, covered in vomit, stands in front of him.  “He vomited briefly and then consumed water.  But I believe he is stable.”

“If you want to take a shower, I can watch him for a few minutes,” Tom says hopefully.  “Vomit is always pretty gross.”

“No.  This is no more disgusting than any other human bodily fluid.  You may not enter this room,” Shaq says firmly.  “You are human.”

“Well, I had to try,” Tom says.

“No.  You did not,” Shaq says.  “Do you have more pointless things to say or may I return to watching your offspring?”

“Sorry.  I just wanted to make sure he was okay,” Tom says.

Shaq grunts and turns away, shutting the door behind him.  At least he didn’t slam him against anything. 

But his sick kids are okay, at least according to the Volm watching over them, which is the most important thing.  Although he would’ve preferred to check for himself.

“They’re stable, according to Frederick and Shaq,” Tom says when he settles back at the table.  “Getting a decent amount of fluids- although Matt did throw up on Shaq.”

Hal snorts.  “That a boy.  Did Shaq toss you around any?”

“No, actually… But Frederick was rude to me,” Tom says.  “Which is even more surprising.  I know it’s not a big deal- but still.  Weird.”

Hal shrugs.  “Not really.  He’s under a lot of stress- especially because he’s putting the diplomatic mission in Cochise’s hands on top of having to care for Ben- and you’re not his favorite human.”

“Wait, what?” Tom asks.  “Frederick doesn’t like me?”

Hal blushes a little.  “You, uh, didn’t know?”

“No!  I mean, at some point he stopped being overly reverent or whatever, but I assumed that was because he was dating Ben, so he was getting to know me as a person,” Tom says.  “I didn’t think that would make him _dislike_ me.”

“I don’t think he dislikes you, per se, but I also don’t really know if now is the time to get into it,” Hal says.

Tom rubs his temples.  “You’re probably right.  I really hate all this waiting around, though.”

“Yeah, waiting is always the worst part,” Hal agrees. 

* * *

 

“Who were you talking to?” Matt murmurs when Shaq returns to sit next to him. 

“Your father,” Shaq says, further irked with Tom now. 

Matt had been sleeping restlessly before Tom woke him up.  Now the small human is awake.  Distressingly, he does not seem too alert- he is not even sitting up. 

Shaq has had ample time to observe this human’s behaviors.  Such immobility is unusual. 

“I wanna talk to him,” Mat says

“You cannot.  You are sick,” Shaq says.  “You may drink water or I can prepare you toast.”

“Too tired,” Matt says, yawning.  “Lemme sleep some more.  Tell me more stories where you blow stuff up.”

The small human reaches out and grabs onto Shaq’s hand.  Concerningly, Shaq’s only response is to move closer, so Matt does not have to exert himself so much. 

Moving haltingly, Shaq takes his free hand and runs it through Matt’s hair as he begins to speak.  He has seen Hal and others do this to comfort Matt when he was distressed. 

The only reason he is doing this is because he wishes for Matt to sleep sooner. 

The only possible reason.

* * *

 

Ben wakes up, shifting a little.  His whole body hurts so much that he doesn’t want to move, but he also knows that Frederick will want him to drink water.

Sure enough, as soon as he starts to move, Frederick has helped him sit up a little, placing the glass up to his lips.  He sips greedily.

“I have unfortunate news,” Frederick says after Ben has had his fill. 

“What happened?” Ben asks, forcing his eyes open. 

“Matt has also fallen ill,” Frederick says.  “Shak-Chic is currently taking care of him.”

Forget how much he doesn’t want to move.  He has to go check on Matt.

Ben forces himself to sit up and starts to turn to get out of bed. 

“Ben!  Stop!” Frederick says, pulling him back down.  “You cannot do this.”

“He’s sick, too,” Ben says glaring up at Frederick.  “So I don’t have to worry about infecting him.”

“I do not know if that is accurate.  Your illnesses could reinforce each other, if they are of different strains.  I have heard of that happening on other worlds,” Frederick says.

Ben pauses because he doesn’t know enough about biology to refute that.  “But it’s Matt!  Just let me check on him.”

“He is being cared for,” Frederick soothes him. 

That he’s being cared for by Shaq isn’t _that_ comforting, honestly, but if Dad and Hal are okay with it…

Ben sighs and eases back into Frederick’s arms; he’s already feeling tired again.  “Wake me up if something changes.”

“I will.  I promise,” Frederick assures him, stroking his face.

It takes longer than Ben would expect for him to fall back asleep.


	6. Another One Bites the Dust

Cochise is frantic.  Two of his offspring have fallen ill and he is now responsible for the diplomatic mission on Earth.  At first, he had thought that temporarily taking over diplomatic matters would be a simple task- it had been when he had been establishing relationships with the humans when the Volm first arrived on the planet. 

Then again, he had been working with Tom, and they had ended up married.  Cochise could not conceive of marrying any of the humans he has encountered thus far.  Things are more complicated when at peace, it seems. 

That Cochise is concerned about his sick offspring- and the continued wellness of Tom and Hal- does not make it easier to concentrate. 

When he returns home, he checks on each of his sick offspring and updates Tom and Hal on their conditions.  After providing the update, he returns to Matt’s room to give Shaq some time to himself and time to spend with Hal.

“You may rest now,” Cochise says when Shaq opens the door.  “I can watch over Matt.”

“I do not require rest.  I am not weak,” Shaq says.

Cochise frowns, not expecting any kind of resistance from Shaq.  “You do not wish to spend time with Hal?”

“No.  I have no affection for Hal.  He is idiotic and irritating,” Shaq says stiffly. 

Before Cochise can reply, Shaq has shut the door on him.  This is unexpected.  Perhaps Shaq’s affection for the humans has grown beyond what even Cochise has suspected.  An interesting possibility. 

He wonders if there is even any point in attempting to ask Frederick wants a break, but he knocks on the door anyway.

“Do you want some time to yourself?  I can watch over Ben for you,” Cochise says.

“I will not leave Ben,” Frederick says.  “He is still not getting better.  It is concerning.”

“Do you require anything?” Cochise says. 

“Just that Ben becomes better,” Frederick says.

Cochise nods.  “I am glad that he has you, but you must be certain to care for yourself as well.”

“I am not at risk of becoming ill,” Frederick says. 

“But you have been lowering your metabolism.  I can see the strain it is taking on you.  You are sluggish.  Tired,” Cochise says. 

“With human fevers, their bodies produce too much heat.  I do not wish to add to his heat,” Frederick says. 

Cochise sighs.  “Please be careful.”

“Of course,” Frederick says before turning and closing the door behind him. 

Shaking his head, Cochise walks back to the living room, where Tom and Hal are. 

“Where’s Shaq?” Hal asks.

“He refused my assistance, as did Famak,” Cochise says. 

“Really?” Hal asks, furrowing his brow. 

“Yes,” Cochise says, sitting next to Tom, who nestles against him quickly.  “He was quite firm.”

Hal makes a thoughtful grunting noise and nods to himself. 

* * *

 

Hal tosses and turns as he tries to fall asleep.  He’s worried about Ben and Matt.  But it’s not just that.

He had been so rude to Shaq.  Understandable, under the circumstances, but he still regrets it.

Shaq refused a break when Cochise offered.  That means that Shaq doesn’t only care about him, but about his brothers, too.  And it’s a genuine care, not just something Shaq playacts because he knows that Hal cares about them more than anything- and that the best way to never get into Hal’s pants again would be to hurt them. 

Given the fact that Shaq can’t even admit that he loves Hal, for him to care about even more humans is a lot.  And it means a lot to Hal.  He feels strangely proud of his boyfriend, and it only makes Hal love him more. 

Hopefully, he’ll find some way to show Shaq his appreciation, even if it’s subtle and not directly related to what Hal is actually proud of.  Shaq would just protest. 

As Hal flops unhappily onto his back, he realizes the other reason why he’s having problems falling asleep.  He’s too used to having Shaq curled around him.  The steady rhythm of breathing against his back; the gentle hands at his waist.  It makes him feel good, safe. 

Now, he’s just cold and alone.  That he’s worried just makes matters even worse. 

* * *

 

It continues like this for several days.  Although, both Frederick and Shaq eventually have to take short breaks to eat and change into clean clothing when Cochise is home to take their places.  But they only rest for a few minutes before returning to their charges. 

Cochise watches Tom and Hal almost suspiciously for signs that they are also sick.  He hopes that no one else in his household falls ill, but he also finds it very unlikely.  As much as he loves humans, they are also very susceptible to many different things, from alcohol to poison to illness.  It is an alarming species to be attached to.

And four days later, his fears come true, at least in part.  He is sitting beside Tom when he realizes that his skin is surprisingly warm.

“Tom, I believe you are becoming ill,” Cochise says fearfully. 

“I’m fine.  Just a little tired.  It’s been a long couple days,” Tom says. 

Cochise kneels in front of Tom, pressing his hands against his cheek.  “Your skin feels warm.” 

“I’m not getting sick,” Tom insists.

“Uh, you have been coughing today,” Hal says.  “A lot.”

“You do not want to place Hal in danger,” Cochise says softly, so Hal does not hear him. “You must quarantine yourself.”

Tom sags and nods.  “Okay.”

Cochise helps Tom to his feet.  “Do you want me to carry you?”

“I’m _fine_ ,” Tom insists, even as he leans against Cochise.

Cochise supports him down to their bedroom and helps him change into his pajamas.  “I can attempt to find someone else to cover my duties, so I can remain with you tomorrow.”

“I really don’t feel that sick, Cochise.  Go, so Frederick doesn’t have to worry,” Tom says. 

Cochise shakes his head.  “I do not like the idea of leaving you when you are unwell.”

Tom reaches out to cup Cochise’s face.  “I’m going to ask you to go keep Hal company until he goes to bed.”

Cochise makes a distressed noise because he knows he must take care of their offspring.  “If you need anything, please yell.”

“I will, I promise,” Tom assures him.  “You just go hang out with Hal.”

Cochise leans down to kiss Tom’s cheek gently.  The skin is too warm.  “You will not be able to rid yourself of me so easily once Hal has gone to bed.”

Tom smiles a little.  “Good.”

It is a quiet night, just him and Hal in the living room attempting to ignore the coughs from the rest of the house.  Cochise is relieved when Hal decides to go to bed early.

Cochise checks on the two sick offspring before returning their room.  He curls around Tom’s sleeping body, pulling him close.  While Matt seems to be recovering, at least somewhat, Ben does not seem to be making the same progress.  That Tom has now begun to fall ill is not encouraging. 

He worries that he, Shaq, and Frederick will not be enough to properly nurse these humans back to health.  And they have all already lost enough.


	7. Shaq Loves Nothing, For Real

Tom wakes up feeling sore, like he worked hard the whole day before, as opposed to doing pretty much nothing.  He pulls the covers a little closer and nestles back against Cochise.

“How do you feel?” Cochise asks, hand pressing against his cheek. 

“Okay, I definitely have the flu,” Tom says, nodding a little. 

“I will remain with you,” Cochise says hugging him close. 

“No,” Tom protests, shaking his head.  “You have to do Frederick’s duties for the day.”

“I must tend to you,” Cochise insists.  “You are sick.”

Tom laughs a little and turns so he’s facing Cochise.  He reaches out to stroke his worried face.  “I’ve had the flu before, Cochise.  Used to get it every year, when I was a kid, and I’d take care of myself.”

“But now you have someone to care for you, who loves you.  You do not have to take care of yourself,” Cochise says.

Glad that he knows that Cochise is immune to the flu, Tom leans over to kiss him gently.  “And I love you, too, but I’m not _that_ sick.  Take care of what Frederick needs you to take care of.  I’ll be here when you get back, and you can cuddle me and feed me soup.”

“I do not like this,” Cochise says. 

“I appreciate your concern, but I’m not that sick,” Tom says. 

“But you could become sick, and if you are not cared for, it could become severe,” Cochise says. 

“If I need anything, I can call Frederick or Shaq.  Don’t worry,” Tom says. 

“I will worry for you- and I will inform Frederick and Shaq to check on you regularly,” Cochise says. 

“Okay,” Tom says, figuring that’s the best deal he’ll get from Cochise.  “Now go.  Keep diplomatic relations flowing.”

Cochise kisses his cheek gently and gets up to get ready for the day.  “Goodbye, Tom.  I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Tom says, waving as Cochise leaves.

At least Tom has his books to keep him company.

* * *

 

Shaq does not want to leave Matt to check on Tom, but Cochise has commanded it.  Cochise is his commanding officer, so Shaq has no choice but to obey.  It is why Shaq remains on this irritating planet, when he could be on the Volm homeworld.  Cochise commands it.

“Can I come with you to see my dad?” Matt asks.

He looks a more regular human color- even if it is an unpleasant beige color.  That Matt has begun eating solid foods is also a positive sign.  However, he is still tired and sluggish, very unusual for Matt. 

“You are still sick,” Shaq says. 

“But Dad is sick, too!  And not, uh, reallysicklikeBen,” Matt says, looking away sadly before perking up a little.  “So it’s okay!”

Shaq frowns a little.  “I do not believe this is a good idea.”

“Please, Shaq!” Matt says.  “You gotta let me see Dad.”

Shaq considers.  Humans are mentally weak creatures and require interaction with other humans.  It is likely that Shaq does not provide him with adequate interaction because he is not a pathetic human.

And it has been days since Matt has been able to properly interact with any member of his family.  While Hal would be quick to assert that Shaq is a member of Matt’s family, he would be incorrect because Shaq does not care for any of these humans, at all.  This is an important part of the frivolous human family structure.  As a Volm, Shaq does not even believe in the efficacy of such family units.

“You must be careful,” Shaq says sternly.  “And after you have finished your water.”

Water is vital to human survival. 

Matt beams at him.  “Awesome!”

* * *

 

Hal feels so alone.  His whole family is either sick, or tending to the sick- except for Cochise, who is doing Frederick’s duty.  And he doesn’t feel right leaving the house when everyone is sick.  So he mostly just paces. 

And then he sees something that makes him think he might be going insane.  Shaq walking down the hall with Matt on his hip like he’s a toddler.  What’s even more insane is that Matt is just laying against Shaq docilely.  Matt doesn’t do docile. 

“Matt?  Shaq?  Is everything okay?” Hal asks, taking a step forward. 

“Stay back,” Shaq says.  “He is still sick.”

“Where are you going?” Hal asks. 

“To see Dad,” Matt says, smiling at him. 

“As he is also sick, I believed it was appropriate,” Shaq adds quickly.  “But I did not believe he should tire himself by walking to Tom’s room by himself.” 

Hal can sense how worried Shaq is and he tries to smile reassuringly.  “Good call.”

Shaq nods a little, eyes wide.  It makes him look vulnerable in a way that Hal has never seen before.  “Then I will take him there.”

“Thanks.  And, uh, thanks for taking care of Matt.  He’s looking better,” Hal says. 

“I do it because it means I do not have to see more than one human a day,” Shaq says.

Hal snorts- that’s his boyfriend.

“He’s taking real good care of me,” Matt says. 

“I’m glad, buddy,” Hal says.  “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” Matt says.  “Ben’s still real sick.”

“He’s just getting better a little slowly,” Hal says.  “He’ll be okay.”

“I do not want to keep Matt out of his room for too long.  It is unfortunate enough that I will also have to talk to your father; I do not want to be delayed speaking to you as well,” Shaq says stiffly.

“Be nice,” Matt says, pushing Shaq without much strength.

“No,” Shaq replies. 

But Hal appreciates that Shaq doesn’t want to tire Matt out, so he nods.  “You go.  I’ve got to start making toast for everyone for lunch anyway.”

“Bye, Hal!” Matt says, waving weakly.

“Goodbye,” Shaq says.  “Do not forget that Matt prefers his toast very toasted, and not lightly toasted as you toasted the toast yesterday.”

Hal grins and nods.  “I’ll remember.”

“Good,” Shaq says, turning back down the hall.

Matt leans around to keep waving at him, and Hal waves back, feeling reassured.  His littlest brother is in good hands and is getting better.

* * *

 

“Dad!” Matt exclaims when Shaq opens the door.  “Dad!”

Tom sets his book aside.  It’s been too long since he’s seen Matt.  “Matt!  Is everything okay?”

“No, you’re sick and Ben’s still sick.  But Shaq said I could come see you now, so that’s good,” Matt says.

“When we passed Hal in the hall, he also said this was an appropriate course of action.  You are both ill,” Shaq quickly adds. 

Tom nods and reaches out, pleased when Shaq sets Matt in his lap.  He’s a little stinky, but Tom is pretty sure they all stink at this point. 

“Chichauk instructed me to ask if you need anything,” Shaq says.

“I’m out of water.  Could you please get me a fresh glass?  Maybe two?” Tom asks, wrapping his arms tightly around Matt.

“Yes,” Shaq says, leaving the room. 

“How are you feeling?  Is Shaq treating you okay?” Tom asks, pressing a hand against Matt’s forehead.  Still feverish, but not terribly so.

“Shaq’s pretty cool,” Matt says.  “I guess I kind of get why Hal likes him.”

“I’m glad he’s been taking good care of you,” Tom says, kissing the top of Matt’s head.

He had been worried about having Shaq take care of one of his kids’ health, even though Hal trusts him and Tom knows that Hal would never put his personal feelings for Shaq above the health of one of his brothers.  It just… doesn’t seem likely that Shaq is capable of sustained caring, especially without Hal there to hold his hand (both literally and metaphorically).

“Yeah, and he tells me all kinds of cool stories!” Matt says.

Tom frowns because he knows that Shaq doesn’t have a lot of appropriate stories- before Earth, he fought on other planets and that’s it.  And since coming to Earth, an awful lot of his time has been spent having sex with Hal.  None of these are good sources of stories for a child.

“What has he been telling you stories about?” Tom asks.

Matt’s eyes widen.  “Uh, nothing,” he says, snuggling against Tom.  “They’re just not as boring as yours is all.”

Tom rolls his eyes as Shaq reenters the room with three glasses of water. 

“I believed that three glasses would be sufficient for you,” Shaq says as he sets them on the nightstand.  “Do you require anything else?”

“No, thank you,” Tom says.  “And thank you for taking such good care of Matt.”

“Spending the day with one human is preferable to spending all day with many humans,” Shaq says.

“He likes me!” Matt says.

“No, that is not what I said.  I said-” Shaq says.

“We’re like best friends by now,” Matt says, undeterred. 

“No.  However, I believe you should return to your room.  If you tire yourself out too badly, you may hinder your recovery,” Shaq says.

“No!” Matt says, wrapping his arms around Tom.  “I wanna hang out with Dad more.”

“Your recovery is more important,” Shaq says.

“He’s right,” Tom says, kissing his fluff again.  “You should keep resting.  I’m getting pretty tired, too.”

It’s not as much of a lie as it should be.

“Fine, because I don’t want Dad to get sicker,” Matt says.  “Bye, Dad.”

“Bye, Matt.  It was really nice to see you,” Tom says as Shaq picks Matt up.

Tom is amused to watch as the giant, hulking Volm that purports not to care carries Matt out of his room on his hip with an impressive amount of care and gentleness.


	8. Awkward Conversations With Your Future Alien Son in Law

Ben knows he’s not getting better.  He still feels shaky and weak and he hasn’t been able to keep solid food down.  That’s not a good sign.  The only good thing is that he’s able to stay awake for longer periods of time.

It’s probably more stressful for Frederick than for Ben.  He’s been sick before; Frederick has never encountered illness before in his life. 

“I can bring you more water,” Frederick says.  His voice is the worried, higher than usual pitch that means he’s trying not to sound terrified. It’s getting easier to identify as time goes on, no matter how feverish Ben feels. “Or read to you.”

“I’m okay,” Ben reassures him, smiling faintly as Frederick presses his hand against his cheek _again_.  “You’re taking really good care of me.”

“You are not getting better, even though those who have fallen ill after you have begun to recover.  It must be my fault,” Frederick says.

“It’s not,” Ben says, wrapping his hand around Frederick’s.  “I’m pretty sure the spikes screwed up my immune system.”

“I do not know how else to help you,” Frederick says. 

“You’re going everything right,” Ben says.  “I’m not getting worse.  It’s just going to take time for me to get better.  But I will.”

“I will take care of you until you are better.  I promise,” Frederick says.

“If you have to do your duties, I understand,” Ben says.  “You’re an important Volm.”

“You are more important, and I fear…” Frederick pauses and looks away.

“What?” Ben asks, squinting.

“Humans perish from illness.  If that happened-“

“I’m not dying, Frederick.  Lots of things have tried to kill me and I’m still here.  I plan on having a long life at this point,” Ben says.  He hopes that life will involve Frederick.

Frederick sighs.

“Aren’t you supposed to be checking on my dad?” Ben asks. 

“Yes, but-“

“I’m going to take a nap, because that’s pretty much all I do these days.  You go hang out with Dad.  You don’t have to hurry back here,” Ben says.  “He should probably make sure he talks to other people or else he’ll work himself sicker.”

“He has had company.  Both Shak-Chic and Matt have been to see your father today,” Frederick informs him.

“Oh,” Ben says, trying not to sound… disappointed.  Jealous.  It’s been almost a week since he’s gotten to talk to anyone in his family other than Cochise or Frederick.  While he loves them both!  He also misses his dad and his brothers. 

But he understands.  It’s for their safety.

“If you need anything, do not hesitate to call me,” Frederick says, kissing his cheek softly.

“I’ll just be taking a nap.  I’ll be okay,” Ben assures him.  “Go.  Keep my dad company.”

“I will,” Frederick says, stroking his face.  “I will provide excellent company for your father.”

“I know.  You’ve been great company,” Ben says, leaning over to kiss him. 

“Thank you, Ben,” Frederick says, getting up and leaving.

Ben watches him go before turning on his side to try to fall asleep.

* * *

 

Tom is laying bed, reading.  He looks up from his book when Frederick walks in. 

“Hello, Professor Mason,” Frederick says.

“Hey, Frederick,” Tom says, sighing at the formal title.  “You can call me Tom, you know.  I’ve told you that before.”

“It seems inappropriate,” Frederick says. 

“It’s not.  I promise.  You’re dating my son,” Tom says, smiling a little.  “You’re practically part of the family already.”

“That is kind of you,” Frederick says.  “I will refill your water glasses.”

“Frederick, wait,” Tom says, putting his hand up as Frederick approaches.  They’re going to have to have this conversation eventually.  Might as well be when he’s exhausted and feverish.  “Is it true that you don’t like me?”

Frederick stiffens.  “That is not entirely accurate.”

“But it’s partially accurate?” Tom asks.

“You need to rest.  Ben has instructed me to provide you with excellent company,” Frederick says.  “This is not what humans enjoy discussing.”

Tom gets the sense Frederick doesn’t enjoy discussing it either.  “It’s okay.  I wanna talk about this.  You’re important to Ben, and Ben is important to me.  It’d be good for us to clear the air.”

“The air _is_ clear,” Frederick says.  “I am concerned about your eyesight.  If this is a new manifestation of your illness, we should call the doctor again.”

“The metaphorical air,” Tom says.  “I want to know why you don’t like me.”

Frederick sighs and sits on the bed, about as far away from Tom as possible.  “It is not that I do not like you.  I have many conflicting feelings towards you.  As a Volm, this is unsettling to me.”

“But why?” Tom asks.  “I don’t understand.”

“You hurt Ben.  I love Ben,” Frederick says simply. 

“He told you.  About everything,” Tom says, suddenly more nauseated than before.  Those aren’t his favorite days to remember.

“We have both discussed our worst times with each other,” Frederick says. 

Tom nods a little.  That’s Ben’s prerogative.  “I swear that I only did it because I didn’t see another way.”

“You are not helping.  I am Volm,” Frederick says.  “It should be easy for me to understand military necessity; it was all I was trained to understand.  The Volm have destroyed worlds to further our fight against the Espheni.  Hurting only one person should mean nothing to me.  But I cannot imagine hurting Ben.  No matter what the necessity.  It makes me angry, even if he is no longer angry.”

Tom remembers something that Ben had mentioned once: that Frederick had only just left the Volm nestships, and he never actually fought in battle, or even made it to the first planet he was going to fight on.  Suddenly, Tom is grateful that he used the Dorniya device when he did, not any later.

“It wasn’t easy,” Tom says. 

“These feelings are immensely confusing.  I am not used to feeling conflicting feelings about anything, and so I attempt to keep you further away, even though I am attempting to get to know the rest of your family better.  It is much easier for me this way,” Frederick says.

“Have you talked to Ben about this?” Tom asks. 

Frederick shakes his head.  “It has been difficult enough for him, and Ben loves and respects you.  Perhaps I will talk to him one day, but for now, I do not want to make his life more difficult.”

Tom nods a little.  “I know you probably don’t care, but I’m glad Ben has you.”

“You are correct.  I do not care, but I am certain that one day I will,” Frederick says.  “It will not always be this way.  I will learn to understand having conflicting emotions, as I learned about other emotions.”

“I’m glad and I look forward to that day,” Tom says. 

“I am sorry that I have not been better company to you,” Frederick says.

“Don’t worry, you’ve been great company.  I’ve been curious and I really appreciate you talking to me, even though I’m sure it wasn’t easy for you,” Tom says.

“No, it was not,” Frederick says. 

“If you want to go back to Ben, you can.  I understand, and I wouldn’t want to keep you apart,” Tom says. 

“Thank you,” Frederick says. 

“When he wakes up next time, please tell him that I love him and that I’m worried about him,” Tom says, wishing he could go see Ben.

“I will,” Frederick says.  “But I will refill your water glasses first.”

“Oh!  Right.  Thank you,” Tom says.

“Of course,” Frederick says.  “I hope you get better soon.”

Tom feels more exhausted than he has in a long time, but he’s glad he talked to Frederick.  He looks forward to the day when they’ve reconciled fully and can really have a solid relationship.

* * *

 

Frederick fills Tom’s glasses before returning to Ben.  He knows he should stay with Tom for longer, but he really wants to be with Ben.  The discussion with Tom had been unexpected and uncomfortable, but it is undoubtedly a good thing they had it.

But for now, Frederick is happier wrapped around Ben, holding him close to make sure he is okay. 

It is several hours before Ben wakes up, stirring slowly. 

“How was your afternoon with my dad?” Ben asks. 

“Good.  He wishes that I inform you that he loves you and that he is worried about you,” Frederick says.

Ben turns so he is facing Frederick.  “Sounds like the two of you have some things in common.”

Frederick pauses, considering.  It is true that love and worry are two things that Frederick feels the most in regards to Ben. 

“You are correct,” Frederick says. 

Ben smiles softly.  “I love you both, too.”


	9. Sometimes You Do Get What You Want (Vomit)

Two days later, Hal throws up.  He wakes up, runs to the bathroom, and throws up.  Once he’s done, Hal flushes the toilet and grins. 

He has the flu!  He’s sick!

Once he’s finished cleaning up, Hal opens the door to Matt’s room.

“You must leave,” Shaq says in a hushed voice, still laying down.

Matt is still asleep.

“I’m sick, Shaq!  I’ve got the flu!” Hal says, approaching the bed.

“You are lying to me to spend time with your brother,” Shaq says, carefully removing Matt from his arm, getting up and, grabbing Hal by the shoulders.  “I am not easily fooled.”

“I threw up this morning!” Hal says, grinning up at Shaq.  “Check and see if I have a fever.  I bet I do!”

To Hal’s surprise, Shaq leans forward and gently presses his lips to Hal’s forehead.  It’s surprising not only because of the gentleness of the action, but because it’s what Mom used to do when they were little kids.

When Hal’s knees buckle a little, he blames it on the fever, not on the sudden rush of memories of being young and safe and having Mom take care of him when he was sick.

Shaq reaches out to steady him.  “Matt informed me this was the most effective way to check for fever when you are ill.  He said this is how your mother did it.” 

And suddenly Hal kind of wishes that Shaq was the asshole that everyone thinks he is, just for a minute, because he’s looking at Hal with an understanding that no one else thinks Shaq is even capable of.  Maybe understanding isn’t the right word- it’s not like Shaq ever had anyone take care of him like Mom took care of him and his brothers- but there’s an acknowledgement that this is going to cause some kind of emotional reaction in Hal, even if Shaq doesn’t really know what it is.

 “Yeah,” he finally says, as Shaq’s arms scoop him up.  “I didn’t think Matt would remember that.” 

“He was quite insistent,” Shaq says, laying Hal down tenderly.

Hal realizes he’s on the far side of the bed from Matt.  “Hey!”

Shaq lays between them.  “You will spend all your time tending to Matt, when you must rest instead.”

“You can’t stop me from checking on Matt.  Not _now_ ,” Hal says even as he snuggles up to Shaq. 

“I have kept watch over your brother for days,” Shaq states.  “Stop being irritating.”

Hal laughs, but it’s strained.  Maybe it’s the flu, or the sudden influx of thinking about Mom, or the strain of his family slowly getting sick but he feels kind of overwhelmed.  He presses his face against Shaq’s chest for the comfort, and so Shaq can’t see his face.

“I love you,” Hal murmurs.  “And I know you love me.”

“I have learned that it is pointless to argue with sick humans.  You are more stubborn in your stupidity when you are sick,” Shaq says softly, holding Hal close.  “You should attempt to rest.”

Hal nods a little.  “Did Matt really say that?  About our mom?”

“Yes,” Shaq says.  “I could not fabricate this story.”

“I guess not,” Hal says, sighing. 

He leans over Shaq to make sure that Matt is still asleep.  His back is pressed against Shaq’s side, and Shaq has put his arm in just the right place that Matt can wrap his much smaller arms around it.  Matt also uses Shaq’s arm as his pillow. 

Even though Hal can’t see Matt’s face, he can tell that his littlest brother is relaxed and asleep.  Matt doesn’t sleep that relaxed with just anybody. 

Since he knows that Matt is safely asleep, he snuggles back against Shaq to try to rest.  But he can’t.

“I miss my mom,” Hal murmurs eventually.  “I know you don’t understand.  But I miss Mom a lot.”

“This is a human weakness that I have noticed.  You miss what is gone forever, and you desire what you cannot have.  Dumb,” Shaq says, and his voice is even quieter than Hal’s.  It reverberates through Hal more than anything else.

“It’s a good thing.  Just a sad thing sometimes,” Hal says. 

“Just another way that Volm are superior.  We do not feel such sadness.  Or any sadness,” Shaq says, definitely sounding sad.

Hal blinks hard before looking up to see Shaq looking down at him with concern.  He smiles at Shaq, just a little.

“It’s okay,” Hal says, reaching up to stroke Shaq’s face.  “It can be happy sometimes.”

“Happiness and sadness are diametrically opposed,” Shaq says.  “You cannot be both at once.”

Hal feels lucky.  He loves Shaq with everything he has, but he can’t imagine not being able to express how he feels, like Shaq can’t.  Maybe another day, he’ll try to explain it to Shaq, just for kicks, but today, he’s too tired. 

“I miss my mom,” Hal repeats, sliding his hand down to Shaq’s chest.  “Love you.”

“You must rest,” Shaq says. 

His thumb is drawing huge, sweeping circles against the base of Hal’s spine.  It’s comforting and reassures Hal that he’s okay.

Hal reaches over Shaq to lightly touch Matt’s shoulder.  Just so he knows he’s there, too. 

* * *

 

Matt wakes up to feel a definitely human hand on his shoulder.  Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, he sits up to see Hal curled against Shaq’s other side. 

“Hey!” Matt says quietly but angrily, climbing on top of Shaq.  “Hal’s gonna get sick!  Get him out of here!”

“Hal has already become ill,” Shaq says, grabbing the back of Matt’s shirt and placing him back where he was. 

“What?  Is he okay?” Matt exclaims, clamoring over Shaq’s body again.

“He has the flu,” Shaq says, picking him up again.  “You must stay on your side so you do not disturb each other.”

“But it’s Hal!  I gotta make sure he’s okay,” Matt says, crawling down towards Shaq’s legs so he can’t pick him up as easily.  Shaq won’t be able to move without waking up Hal.

“I checked his fever in the manner you taught me,” Shaq says.  “He is only mildly ill and requires _rest_.”

“I’m going to see him!  You can’t stop me, even if we’re best friends,” Matt says as he finally crawls over Shaq’s legs and back up so he can check on Hal. 

Shaq sighs.  “After you have assessed his health, you must return to your side.  I did not allow Hal on your side.”

“Deal, bestie,” Matt says. 

He makes sure that Hal is still breathing and that he seems comfortable.  Once he’s sure that Hal is okay, he crawls back over Shaq to his own side.

“Thanks for taking care of Hal,” Matt says.  “You’re a good best friend.”

“You are not my best friend,” Shaq says.  “I do not have any friends, as I am Volm.”

Matt laughs a little.  “Yeah right.”

“You are annoyingly insistent even though you are weakened by illness.  You should drink water instead,” Shaq says. 

“I get why you don’t wanna say how much you like us.  But it’s okay, we know,” Matt says, patting Shaq’s arm.

Matt grabs the water and starts to drink as Shaq just glares at him.


End file.
